Within the unfolding drama, the Noble Faction displayed absolute, unshakable confidence.
The audience was baffled. They couldn't understand why heavy hitters like Orochimaru, Shisui, and Itachi would so easily obey the orders of the nobility. Nor did it seem likely that Kazuma and his cohorts possessed the capability to control the "Demon Fox" on their own.
And yet, it was happening right before their eyes.
The moment Orochimaru appeared on the path ahead, the situation spiraled out of control. The oppressive sensation radiating from his slow, deliberate approach was suffocating. Even through the screen, the audience could clearly feel the weight of his presence.
Even a Special Jōnin like Kurenai Yūhi couldn't help but take an involuntary step back under that terrifying aura. Naruto fared even worse; just like in the manga, he was frozen stiff with fear, unable to move a muscle.
As Orochimaru advanced step by step, spouting rhetoric designed to break their spirits, only Masahiko drew the blade at his waist. He was fighting against the crushing pressure, standing firm to protect his students!
But nobody believed him anymore.
Even when Kakashi arrived in the nick of time to salvage the situation and save Masahiko from the standoff, the tide of the Bullet Comments remained entirely cynical.
"Old Thief, give it a rest. I'm not falling for it anymore!""I bet Orochimaru and the Old Thief are having a huge acting-off right now. They've definitely got a backroom deal going on.""+1.""His acting is too good, though. Kakashi, Kurenai, and Naruto are probably moved to tears right now."
Not a single comment believed he was genuinely trying to protect Naruto.
After Masahiko left the scene, the camera view shifted to Asuma's location.
Asuma and Kazuma didn't resort to violence immediately. At this point, they were still unaware of the chaos unfolding elsewhere and were engaged in a battle of ideals. With their exchange, the plotline of the " Twin Jades" officially unfolded.
The audience understood what these "Jades" represented: The Daimyō and the Hokage.
The two factions of the Twelve Guardian Ninja, each supporting a different master, held ideologies so disparate that former comrades were now forced to cross blades. However, at this specific moment, no one in the real world truly cared about the philosophy of the Two Jades.
They were far more concerned with something else: What kind of tricks was Yagyu Masahiko about to pull?
Judging by the current situation, the previous fan theories seemed to be spot on. The main storyline appeared to be the "Conflict of the Two Kings," but in reality, it was highly likely that Yagyu Masahiko was the puppet master driving everything from the shadows. That explained why the "Black Robed Man" occupied the entire upper half of the promotional poster.
However, the current level of chaos clearly wasn't enough to satisfy the Old Thief's dramatic standards.
After the negotiations broke down, the two sides clashed once again. Yet, the chaotic melee had barely begun when—
Lightning Style: False Darkness!
A deluge of lightning poured forth, covering almost the entire screen. The six members of the Radical Faction seemed destined to be swallowed by the thunder.
But as the perspective shifted, the audience saw the counter. Kazuma had utilized a Wind Style jutsu to neutralize a portion of the lightning, forcibly carving out a safe zone for his men.
However, right within that same perspective shift, a figure cut in from a blind spot, leaving a trail of afterimages in the air.
In the blink of an eye, the assailant was already behind the five radicals. His body was wreathed in lightning, and concentrated electricity crackled in his palm—a special effect distinct from the characters seen previously.
The Earth Style: Mud Wall raised for defense proved fragile before this strike, shattered instantly as the figure broke through.
Another Shadow Clone surged forward. A hand-knife descended.
Tsubute was dead instantly!
"That's some powerful Lightning Style. Is that Kakashi's Shadow Clone?""Did you guys forget the Old Thief's script from earlier?""Huh? Since when does he know Lightning Style?! Is there a Ninjutsu this guy doesn't know?"
Prompted by the comments, the audience recalled that Masahiko had indeed declared his intention to kill one member of the Radical Faction immediately after killing one of the Conservatives. This scene aligned perfectly with that foreshadowing.
The viewers found it increasingly absurd.
On screen, everyone was left in shock. But before they could process the disbelief, the camera cut away again, shifting to a side profile view.
In the distance...
A pillar of crimson light was shooting into the sky!
In the next instant, every character turned to look in that direction, their faces filled with shock and horror.
What happened?
Every viewer in the real world sat up straighter, their attention laser-focused.
In front of his computer, Masashi Kishimoto was utterly engrossed. He had a gut feeling—this upcoming plot device might be the key to expanding this adaptation into a long-running series.
The camera snapped back to the confrontation between Kakashi and Orochimaru.
Silver-white electricity flickered in Kakashi's hand, resembling a razor-sharp blade. After a sprint so fast it was barely visible to the naked eye, he thrust the lightning forward.
However...
His "blade" hit nothing but air.
The figure in front of him collapsed into a pile of mud. A split second later, Orochimaru slowly rose from the ground right next to Naruto.
"Look out!"
Kurenai immediately grabbed Naruto, throwing several smoke bombs at the ground while simultaneously releasing explosive tags.
BOOM!
A violent explosion filled the screen. Debris flew and flames roared. When the smoke cleared, all that remained was a scorched, massive crater.
Kurenai didn't dare linger. She gripped Naruto tightly and fled rapidly toward the city.
But she didn't get far. Another figure appeared in her path.
He was a ninja of average height wearing a modest kimono, but his face caused Kurenai's heart to seize with tension.
"Itachi Uchiha!"
Ahead of them, Itachi walked forward with a calm, deliberate gait.
"Release the child," Itachi said, his voice devoid of warmth. "He is the object we require."
"Don't you dare!"
Kurenai tightened her grip on her kunai and lunged forward.
Mid-charge, she twisted her wrist. The kunai in her hand flew toward Itachi in an erratic, unnatural trajectory. This wasn't just a projectile weapon; it was a carrier for her Genjutsu!
But in the next second, Kurenai saw only a blinding light.
Itachi Uchiha dissolved into a murder of crows, scattering in all directions. Just as quickly, the crows converged.
Thud!
The screen distorted, signaling Kurenai's abrupt return to reality.
She was kicked backward, crashing heavily onto the ground. Naruto, meanwhile, was already in Orochimaru's grasp, shouting and struggling.
"Whoa, what the hell? She lost just like that?""I remember the lore saying Kurenai is a Genjutsu expert... is the gap really that huge?""Is Naruto actually gonna GG here?""Not a chance. He's the protagonist. If he dies, what are we supposed to watch?"
Although no one believed Naruto would actually die here, the tension spiked as Orochimaru used the Body Flicker Technique to distance himself from the battlefield. Simultaneously, he formed hand seals and slammed his palm onto Naruto's abdomen.
The next second, Naruto let out a howl of agony.
Suddenly, the crimson light seen earlier erupted from Naruto's body, forming a massive pillar of energy reaching toward the heavens.
Bang!
The Orochimaru standing before him was obliterated by the shockwave, turning into scattered mud.
Earth Style: Mud Body Replacement
The real Orochimaru appeared behind Naruto, pressing a hand against the boy's back. The scarlet chakra began to flow along his arm, converging into his body.
"So this is the Nine-Tails' chakra? What a truly marvelous power!"
Excitement was written all over Orochimaru's face.
Naruto, on the other hand, was consumed by pain and madness, his expression twisting into something feral.
Thanks to the special effects, even viewers who didn't understand "Ninjutsu" could clearly see that Orochimaru was absorbing the "Nine-Tails" chakra.
"Naruto went into this mode when fighting Haku during the bridge fight""Back then, they called it 'chakra filled with calamity,' and showed an image of a Nine-Tailed Demon Fox.""So this power is a 'Tailed Beast,' and their goal is the beast inside Naruto?""Looks like it."